tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759Wed, 20 Jun 2012 02:15:53 +0000Right Wing PunditEncouraging ideological DIVERSITY, political TOLERANCE and EQUALITY of opportunity.http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Jred)Blogger571125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-1551829824781428664Sat, 15 Nov 2008 05:01:00 +00002008-11-14T21:09:31.050-08:00Thougths from Louisville Cincinnati<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Just watched the end of the game on ESPN2 and had a few thoughts.<br /></span><ul><li>Cincinnati's coach was being jerk about something. Refused to shake hands with the other coach. And his team won. Grow up, and set an example for your team.</li><li>After the game, fans of #22 ranked Cincinnati were chanting "BCS, BCS." How is it again that the ACC and the Big East have an automatic berth to a BCS bowl and the MWC doesn't?</li><li>ESPN2 was showing this doozy of an NCAAF game (sarcasm), and the ticker at the bottom aws showing NCAAWB scores, and then NHL news. Is ESPN2 really the station were they hide the crap that no one cares about?</li></ul>http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2008/11/thougths-from-louisville-cincinnati.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bear)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-2012082808519676137Sat, 15 Nov 2008 05:00:00 +00002008-11-14T21:01:11.991-08:00BackObviously haven't posted in forever. I'll see if I can keep this up regularly enough to make it worthwhile (for myself or for others).http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2008/11/back.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Bear)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-1218801280254842896Sat, 21 Apr 2007 17:12:00 +00002007-04-21T10:15:15.880-07:00Shifting GearsIts too much trouble to blog here and at <a href="http://blog.spotd.net">Spanish Phrase of the Day</a> so I will be doing all my blogging there from now on, about politics and whatever else comes to mind. Its been fun blogging here with Bear & J-Red.<br /><br />So visit <a href="http://blog.spotd.net">Spanish Phrase of the Day</a>. I'm trying to update it regularly, at least 3-4 times a week. There is still a lot of good stuff here in the RWP archives, especially our tracking of the early stages of the Romney candidacy.http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/04/shifting-gears.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117572317567169745Wed, 04 Apr 2007 21:05:00 +00002007-04-04T14:46:15.690-07:00The Trouble with IslamTawfik Hamid is a medical doctor, Muslim reformer, and former member of the Islamic terror group Jemaah Islamiya. In Yesterday's <em>Wall Street Journal</em> he wrote an Op-Ed on "<a href="http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009890">The Trouble with Islam</a>."<br /><br />I would quote the whole thing if I could. We make apologies about targeting Islam as a source of terror. There is no doubt that the main source of terror today comes from radical Islam, but Islam is general is doing a poor job of standing up to those radical elements.http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/04/trouble-with-islam.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117478814830638952Sun, 25 Mar 2007 03:02:00 +00002007-03-24T20:58:20.490-07:00A few thingsI wanted to devote separate posts to a few of these issues, but here is what I've got:<br /><br /><ul><li>The most pressing matter involves <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article1563877.ece">the detention of British sailors by the government of Iran</a>. The Iranians claim that the Brits encroached on Iranian territory, something the UK firmly denies. A new development makes it all very problematic.<blockquote></blockquote></li></ul><p><em>A website run by associates of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, reported last night that the Britons would be put before a court and indicted.<br />Referring to them as “insurgents”, the site concluded: “If it is proven that they deliberately entered Iranian territory, they will be charged with espionage. If that is proven, they can expect a very serious penalty since according to Iranian law, espionage is one of the most serious offences.”</em></p><p> Not good, but I wouldn't shy from a chance to stick it to Iran.</p><ul><li>Peggy Noonan has written two very good columns in a row. I have been dissatisfied with her work of late. I think she tends to be a bit negative about the current situations in Iraq and domestically among conservatives. In these last two columns she has put her historical perspective to good use. The first is on <a href="http://opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110009790">the problem with loyalty as a motivator for political support</a>. The second addresses <a href="http://opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110009820">the state of conservatism</a>. Both are worth reading.</li></ul>http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/03/few-things.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117452829845179253Thu, 22 Mar 2007 02:14:00 +00002007-03-21T19:51:38.473-07:00Warming Shwarming III can't help but comment on the spectacle presented by the arrival of Al Gore (The Prophet) to Capitol Hill today. First, an appetizer, presented by none other than <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2007/03/21/couricandco/entry2594094.shtml">Katie Couric</a>:<br /><br /><em>But today it was a triumphant return, this time as a private citizen, to declare that the world faces a "planetary emergency" over climate change. And now, a lot of his skeptics agree that Gore makes a powerful point. The scientific consensus is clear, and Gore urged Congress to listen to scientists, not special interests.</em><br /><br />"A lot of his skeptics"...? Not this skeptic. Unfortunately for Al and Katie, the only clear thing is that there is no real consensus on the issue, particularly as Gore's exaggerations become harder to ignore. <a href="http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=7616011f-802a-23ad-435e-887baa7069ca">Gore's seeming hypocrisy on the issue</a> is also troubling- his reliance on gimmicky carbon offsets is a joke.<br /><br />The president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus, wrote recently on <a href="http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20070321-0538-czech-environment-.html">what he sees as the religion of Global Warming</a>:<br /><br /><em>'Communism has been replaced by the threat of an ambitious environmentalism.' Klaus said poor nations would also be hurt by efforts to impose limits and standards on emissions of gases believed to cause global warming.<br />'They will not be able to absorb new technological standards required by the anti-greenhouse religion, their products will have difficulty accessing the developed markets, and as a result the gap between them and the developed world will widen,' he wrote.<br />'This ideology preaches earth and nature and under the slogans of their protection – similarly to the old Marxists – wants to replace the free and spontaneous evolution of mankind by a sort of central, now global, planning of the whole world,' he added.</em><br /><br />Call me a crackpot or a paranoid, but I couldn't agree more. It may only be a matter of time before Global Warming idealogues move from mandating what kind of lightbulbs we buy to when we procreate. Wouldn't limiting population limit greenhouse gases? Is it so far for them to go? Once they assume control and we cede certain freedoms over how we live, for good or ill, we open the door to the permanent restriction on our freedoms.http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/03/warming-shwarming-ii.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117435612696531680Tue, 20 Mar 2007 02:58:00 +00002007-03-19T20:02:06.990-07:00Warming ShwarmingOriginally posted at <a href="http://spotd.blogspot.,com">Spanish Phrase of the Day</a>:<br />--------------------------------<br /><p>I've been stewing over this issue for a little while, and it's finally time to get up on the soapbox. I am going to do my best to back up my points with good information, so follow the links if you want more detail. It's a long one so hang in there.<br /><br />There are a few major viewpoints on the issue of Global Warming. I'll do my best to outline them here, but I may leave some aspect out:<br /></p><ol><li>Global Warming is caused in large part by man, is a grave crisis, and man must act immediately to prevent disaster (Al Gore).<br /></li><li>Global Warming is real, may be caused by man and could be problematic for the future.<br /></li><li>There is no "Global Warming," aside from the normal cyclical changes in climate that have occurred many times in history.<br /></li><li>There is no warming. There may even be cooling.</li></ol><p>My own opinion is closest to #3. But my purpose is not to convince you of my viewpoint. My purpose is to provide, at the very least, a healthy skepticism for #1. #2 does not pose the danger that #1 does as it fails to cross into the realm of ideology. Here goes:<br /><br />A major premise behind the Global Warming alarmism espoused by Al Gore is that coming worldwide climate change will have cataclysmic effect. First we will deconstruct the idea of "global temperature," a necessary component of Gore's warming. <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070315101129.htm">From <em>ScienceDaily</em></a>:<br /><br /><em>"It is impossible to talk about a single temperature for something as complicated as the climate of Earth", Bjarne Andresen says, an an expert of thermodynamics. "A temperature can be defined only for a homogeneous system. Furthermore, the climate is not governed by a single temperature. Rather, differences of temperatures drive the processes and create the storms, sea currents, thunder, etc. which make up the climate".He explains that while it is possible to treat temperature statistically locally, it is meaningless to talk about a a global temperature for Earth. The Globe consists of a huge number of components which one cannot just add up and average. That would correspond to calculating the average phone number in the phone book. That is meaningless. Or talking about economics, it does make sense to compare the currency exchange rate of two countries, whereas there is no point in talking about an average 'global exchange rate'.</em><br /><br />So it is impossible to make blanket predictions of global phenomena based on a supposed "Global Temperature." Therefore it is also impossible to blame recent warming trends, or some kind of man made warming, on recent climatological events. That hasn't stopped Gore and the Hollywood machine, <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/technology/technology.html?in_article_id=443043&in_page_id=1965">something that is of concern to scientists</a>:<br /><em><br />Professors Paul Hardaker and Chris Collier, both Royal Meteorological Society figures, criticised fellow scientists they accuse of "overplaying" the message.<br />They sparked controversy after saying statements made by the highly respected American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) were not justified. The AAAS said last month: "As expected, intensification of droughts, heatwaves, floods, wildfires, and severe storms is occurring, with a mounting toll on vulnerable ecosystems and societies. "These events are early warning signs of even more devastating damage to come, some of which will be irreversible." Professor Collier said that while he is not sceptical that such events could happen, it is important to be "honest" about the scientific evidence behind projected future impacts.<br />Professor Hardaker warned against the "Hollywoodisation" of weather and climate seen in films such as the 2004 smash hit film The Day After Tomorrow, which depicts terrifying consequences after the melting of the Arctic ice shelf. Such films, he said, only work to create confusion in the public mind. "I don't think the way to make people pay attention is to make them afraid about it," he said.</em><br /><br /><em>OpinionJournal'</em>s John Fund reports on <a href="http://opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110009804">the controversy surrounding this issue</a>:<br /><br /><em>The New York Times last week interviewed many scientists who say they are alarmed "at what they call [Mr. Gore's] alarmism on global warming."<br />...Even James Hansen, a scientist who began issuing warning cries about global warming in the 1980s and is a top adviser to Mr. Gore, concedes that his work may hold "imperfections" and "technical flaws." Other flaws are more serious, such as Mr. Gore's depiction of sea level rises of up to 20 feet, which would cause Florida and New York City to sink below the surface. Sober scientists privately say such claims are exaggerated. They point to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a United Nations body that released its fourth report on global warming last month. While it found humans were the main cause of recent global warming, the report also indicated it was a very slow-moving process. On sea levels, the U.N. panel reported its s best high-end estimate of the rise in sea levels by 2100 was three feet. The new high-end best estimate is less than half the previous prediction, which was still far below Mr. Gore's 20 feet. Similarly, the new report shows that the panel's 2001 report overestimated the human influence on climate change since the Industrial Revolution by at least one-third.<br /></em><br />So the alarmism promoted by Al Gore may not be justified. The science on warming is not "settled" as some have claimed.<br /><br />Another part of viewpoint #1 is that man must do something to counteract climate change or face dire results. Assuming that reversing a warming trend is a good thing, is it even possible? <a href="http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YjI4NTc0YWMzNTA3ZjRmYmJiMDRjNmI5MGEwZTFhM2E=">From <em>the National Review</em></a>:<br /><br /><em>These are the sources for the notion that we have only ten years to “do” something immediately to prevent an institutionalized tsunami. And given that Gore only conceived of his movie about two years ago, the real clock must be down to eight years!It would be nice if my colleagues would actually level with politicians about various “solutions” for climate change. The Kyoto Protocol, if fulfilled by every signatory, would reduce global warming by 0.07 degrees Celsius per half-century. That’s too small to measure, because the earth’s temperature varies by more than that from year to year.The Bingaman-Domenici bill in the Senate does less than Kyoto — i.e., less than nothing — for decades, before mandating larger cuts, which themselves will have only a minor effect out past somewhere around 2075. (Imagine, as a thought experiment, if the Senate of 1925 were to dictate our energy policy for today).</em><br /><br />Assuming that warming IS occurring, IS man made, and IS a solvable problem, the prescription is much more complex than what the average person understands. The threat of international terrorism and rogue state nuclear opportunism is of much greater concern to me. I just wanted to try and punch some holes into an ideology that is counterproductive and that threatens to take much of our attention from where it belongs.</p>http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/03/warming-shwarming.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117400738795307551Fri, 16 Mar 2007 01:57:00 +00002007-03-15T19:09:49.586-07:00Obama LoveI don't mean to be dishing it around, but <a href="http://www.townhall.com/content/75689338-91a2-44bd-9c0d-99f1554f2e2d">I thought this was an interesting article about Obama</a>. A conservative law school peer has written about her experience with Obama.<br /><br />It's worth looking at. Obama is an avowed liberal, and I don't want him to win, but I prefer him to Edwards and especially to Clinton.http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/03/obama-love.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117254574168059160Tue, 27 Feb 2007 03:02:00 +00002007-02-26T19:09:01.696-08:00Lieberman- The Only Sane Democrat?Senator Joseph Lieberman <a href="http://opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009715">has written a very persuasive article</a> in today's <em>Wall Street</em> <em>Journal</em>. He argues that the President and the armed forces need time to put their strategy in place in Iraq:<br /><br /><em>But we must not make another terrible mistake now. Many of the worst errors in Iraq arose precisely because the Bush administration best-cased what would happen after Saddam was overthrown. Now many opponents of the war are making the very same best-case mistake--assuming we can pull back in the midst of a critical battle with impunity, even arguing that our retreat will reduce the terrorism and sectarian violence in Iraq.<br /></em><br /><em>In fact, halting the current security operation at midpoint, as virtually all of the congressional proposals seek to do, would have devastating consequences. It would put thousands of American troops already deployed in the heart of Baghdad in even greater danger--forced to choose between trying to hold their position without the required reinforcements or, more likely, abandoning them outright. A precipitous pullout would leave a gaping security vacuum in its wake, which terrorists, insurgents, militias and Iran would rush to fill--probably resulting in a spiral of ethnic cleansing and slaughter on a scale as yet unseen in Iraq.<br /></em><br /><em>I appeal to my colleagues in Congress to step back and think carefully about what to do next. Instead of undermining Gen. Petraeus before he has been in Iraq for even a month, let us give him and his troops the time and support they need to succeed.</em><br /><br />His logic is persuasive.http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/02/lieberman-only-sane-democrat.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117234437623663250Sat, 24 Feb 2007 18:51:00 +00002007-02-24T11:12:56.273-08:00Hillary v. Obama Pt. 2More commentary on the Hillary campaign from <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2160159/&#geffenobama3">Mickey Kaus</a>.<br /><br />Powerline points out <a href="http://newsbloggers.aol.com/2007/02/23/barack-takes-the-high-road/">how Obama has taken the public high road</a>.http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/02/hillary-v-obama-pt-2.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117230240823084870Sat, 24 Feb 2007 07:18:00 +00002007-02-23T23:33:28.263-08:00Hillary v. ObamaThe Hillary Clinton campaign has hit a bumpy patch following some direct statements by a former friend, music mogul David Geffen. Peggy Noonan looks at <a href="http://opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110009700">how this has impacted the Clinton candidacy</a>, one that seemed destined to secure her party's nomination. You need to read her article and Bill Kristol's to get the background, but here's the significance of this kerfuffle:<br /><br /><em>...the outcome of the Geffen-Clinton episode is worthy of watching because it is going to determine whether it is remembered as the moment in the 2008 campaign when it became clear you are allowed to criticize Hillary--or as the moment it became clear you are not. </em><br /><br /><a href="http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/319zlxge.asp">Kristol gives credit to the Obama camp</a> for their handling of the incident. The Clintons seem to have stumbled. It is fun to watch, and it will be interesting to see the outcome.http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/02/hillary-v-obama.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117224753766320453Fri, 23 Feb 2007 16:17:00 +00002007-02-23T08:18:57.680-08:00Beneath the numbersAustin Bay has some insights into the Troop Surge and what it really means, going beyond the numbers and looking at how it fits into the larger plan.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=022307A">Check it out.</a>http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/02/beneath-numbers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117202943402347225Wed, 21 Feb 2007 03:31:00 +00002007-02-20T19:43:54.216-08:00A few thingsActual weather data from Antarctica <a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-02/osu-atd021207.php">is not jiving with dire climate predictions</a>.<br /><br />Michael Barone hits two topics <a href="http://www.usnews.com/usnews/opinion/baroneblog/archives/070216/contra_conventi.htm#more">in this post</a>, President Bush's political position and the seemingly early start of the Presidential campaign.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.michaelyon-online.com/">Read Michael Yon</a>. His stuff is fresh from the Iraq battlefront and is important.<br /><br />Former Senator Phil Gram is <a href="http://opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110009690">supporting John McCain</a>. He makes a case, but I am unmoved.<br /><br />California remains over-regulated, providing us another glimpse into government folly. Their plan to encourage the use of lower-polluting hybrids has led to <a href="http://opinionjournal.com/cc/?id=110009686">a glut of same on the highways</a>.http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/02/few-things.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117190921019063880Mon, 19 Feb 2007 18:00:00 +00002007-02-19T10:20:10.223-08:00Romney Watch '08 Part XIFox News Watch is a program on the Fox News Channel that examines media coverage of events. They looked at <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,252784,00.html">how the media is covering Romney's faith</a>. It's a good exploration.<br /><br />I think the coverage has a purpose, and its meant to weaken Romney's candidacy.http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/02/romney-watch-08-part-xi.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117165667492608682Fri, 16 Feb 2007 20:08:00 +00002007-02-16T12:11:14.946-08:00BarackThis is a preview of the new conservative comedy show. It's a promising start.<br /><br /><object width="420" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YjIfaMwIFxU"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YjIfaMwIFxU" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/02/barack.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117157965449742641Thu, 15 Feb 2007 22:00:00 +00002007-02-15T14:48:21.546-08:00Romney Watch '08 Part XHoward Kurtz of the <em>Washington Post</em> has <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100587.html">a good round-up of the media stories surrounding the '08 Presidential Primaries</a>. He spends the first half looking at media coverage of Mitt Romney, and applies a critical eye to the way that his religion has become such a focal point:<br /><br /><em>The press seems downright excited at the prospect of the first female president.</em><br /><em><br />The idea of the first black president has journalists all but giddy.<br /></em><br /></em><em>But the first Mormon president? Whoa! That's a different matter.</em><br /><em></em><br />It's interesting. I don't buy much of the criticism that Romney has changed his tune on abortion and gay rights. I think his policy choices have changed, but his personal beliefs are probably fairly static. I also think abortion and gay rights are ultimately peripheral issues (or at least they should be).http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/02/romney-watch-08-part-x.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117154794748813056Thu, 15 Feb 2007 13:58:00 +00002007-02-15T05:59:07.506-08:00Comedy the Right WayI'm pleased by this news. The co-creator of 24, Joel Surnow, is <a href="http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117954244.html?cs=1">teaming with Fox News Channel to create a conservative-leaning political satire show</a>. It will debut this Sunday at 10 pm.<br /><br />In one of the articles they mentioned a prospective sketch in which will target the trend of college students wearing Che Guevara t-shirts. I'd love to see that. Most of the idiots who wear those shirts have no idea what Che was really like. He was a true communist and revolutionary, as well as a ruthless killer. In the sketch they would sell his shirts next to shirts of Mao and Hitler. Sounds about right.<br /><br />I hope the show is a success. It's on my DVR list.http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/02/comedy-right-way.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117071473916547844Mon, 05 Feb 2007 21:57:00 +00002007-02-05T19:36:46.870-08:00Cooling on WarmingThe release of the UN report on Climate Change has brought forth a flurry of publicity, not all of it in favor of that report's conclusions. The central areas of contention:<br /><ul><li>There is no Global Warming- recent warming is evidence of normal climate cycles and is not true warming at all.</li><li>Global Warming is not man-made, but occurs naturally, as in the release of CO2 into the atmosphere through biological processes.</li><li>Global Warming is partially attributable to man, but man is not capable of reversing it owing to its cumulative effect and the added impact of natural biological processes.</li><li>Man is almost entirely responsible for Global Warming. We are heading for catastrophe, but much of the danger can be prevented via radical measures.</li></ul><p>I've followed the debate pretty steadily, and I probably fall somewhere in the 2nd bullet point. I fail to be swayed by the arguments of Gore and his ilk.</p><p><a href="http://www.canadafreepress.com/2007/global-warming020507.htm">This article</a> provides reasons to doubt Global Warming orthodoxy. I'm low on time, so hopefully I'll be able to follow up more on this in a minute.</p>http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/02/cooling-on-warming.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117064655449376660Mon, 05 Feb 2007 03:15:00 +00002007-02-04T19:35:54.523-08:00More Yon In IraqMichael Yon continues to deliver some of the best reporting from Iraq. In one of his most recent dispatches he writes about <a href="http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/the-hands-of-god.htm">an Iraqi man who likely saved many of his fellow Iraqis</a> when he tackled a suicide bomber. He became a martyr for the right side and left a family behind.<br /><br />He was <a href="http://instapundit.com/archives2/2007/02/the_glenn_and_helen_show_micha.php">interviewed by Glenn Reynolds and his wife for their weekly podcast</a>. His insights are valuable and worth your time.http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/02/more-yon-in-iraq.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117051076499865062Sat, 03 Feb 2007 07:46:00 +00002007-02-03T05:53:12.720-08:00Tax Cuts = More Revenue<em>The Economist</em> is probably my favorite magazine, and <a href="http://www.economist.com/debate/freeexchange/2007/02/funny_about_that_budget.cfm">they examine the criticism</a> of a liberal blogger that doesn't understand the economic impact of tax cuts:<br /><br /><em>His incredulity is not surprising, but it is wrong. The historical average for tax revenues as a percentage of GDP for the last 45 years—roughly, the span of the modern taxation era—is 18.2%; in 2006, the government collected 18.4% of GDP as tax revenues. Even if you throw out the Bush budgets of 2002-2006, the average rises only a tenth of a percent, meaning that America is still above its historical average.</em><br /><br />They also look at the real impact of the budget deficit as a percentage of GDP, how it is not far off its historical levels, and how growing revenues will eventually offset it.<br /><br />Tax-raisers (as opposed to tax-cutters) imagine that taxes and economic performance exist independent of each other. They believe that had Bush left taxes as they were that our tax receipts would be even higher, or that the economy would have continued to roll along. There is a great deal of evidence to the contrary, such as the massive increase in capital gains receipts, which says that lower taxes spurs more activity of every kind.http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/02/tax-cuts-more-revenue.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117021645625776054Wed, 31 Jan 2007 04:05:00 +00002007-01-30T20:07:36.276-08:00Supporting the TroopsIt's not enough to say you support the troops<br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uyqk1LsCDBQ"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uyqk1LsCDBQ" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><br />They need more than lip-service support. Hagel, Kerry, Clinton and their ilk are working against the interests of our country and its fighting men and women.http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/01/supporting-troops.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-117009968627917284Mon, 29 Jan 2007 15:54:00 +00002007-01-30T19:37:43.756-08:00IraqI have spent some time in the last few days thinking about Iraq. A few things have come together, and while hardly groundbreaking, I wanted to share them here.<br /><p><strong>The Troop Surge:</strong></p><p>When we invaded Iraq there were questions about the appropriate size of the invasion force. Clearly the numbers were sufficient for Iraq's capture. The big debate since then has been the size of the occupying force. Many of the President's critics touted the numbers argument as a key reason why we were having so much difficulty subduing the insurgency. Now that a surge has been proposed, many of those critics are bowing to political expedience and opposing any addition of troops. Opposing the surge without offering any alternatives is to accept and work for defeat. <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117012636920092002.html?mod=opinion_main_featured_stories_hs">Bret Stephens concurs</a> in his <em>Wall Street Journal</em> column:</p><p><em>These are our options in Iraq: We can withdraw troops and equipment as fast as our Galaxys and Globemasters can carry them home (or to Okinawa). This is the Murtha Way. We can cap troop levels at 140,000 and withdraw them no later than Inauguration Day, 2009. This is Hillary's Way. We can redeploy our forces outside of Iraqi cities, conduct limited training and counterterrorism missions, urge reconciliation among the various political factions and seek diplomatic openings with Syria and Iran. This is the way of Sens. Chuck Hagel and Joe Biden. We can advocate and facilitate the partition of Iraq. This is the (Peter) Galbraith Way. Or we can surge troops into the toughest neighborhoods of Baghdad, Ramadi and Najaf and keep them there indefinitely.</em></p><p><em>That is the President's Way. It is going to mean many more American casualties -- perhaps as many in the months ahead as we've seen over the past four years. It may fail for lack of troops, or insufficient cooperation from the Iraqi government. It could be defeated in the field, or it could succeed -- only to be undermined in Washington, much as Gen. Creighton Abrams's 1972 battlefield victories in Vietnam were. It lacks an endgame. It's a political loser. But it is the only strategy on the table that aims at victory and has a chance of succeeding.</em></p><p>I agree. No one who opposes it has proposed an option that has as much chance for success. The political mess frustrates me to no end.</p><p><strong>Poor reporting by the media:</strong></p><p>Our best bet to find the great and important stories from the War on Terror are from citizen journalists like Michael Yon. They usually pay their own way, are not affiliated with any major media outlet, and they provide the most in-depth coverage of our soldiers.</p><p>Yon has a long dispatch <a href="http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/desolate-roads-part-2-of-2.htm">but it is well worth reading</a>. Please read it and see what our soldiers go through. Yon is not a Pollyanna, but there is an optimism to his writing that is born of his faith in our fighting men and women.</p><p>Bill Indolino has <a href="http://www.indcjournal.com/archives/002935.php">some very interesting photos</a> from Iraq, providing a glimpse of our troops in some rare moments.</p><p><strong>The American Iraq</strong></p><p>Finally, this piece explores the state of Iraq in its historical and present context. <a href="http://opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009597">Iraq is still worth fighting for</a>.</p>http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/01/iraq.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-116985226431912838Fri, 26 Jan 2007 22:54:00 +00002007-01-26T14:57:44.336-08:00Barone on the UnionMichael Barone has an excellent commentary of The State of the Union on his blog. It is <a href="http://www.usnews.com/usnews/opinion/baroneblog/archives/070123/live_reactions.htm#more">excellent as usual</a>.http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/01/barone-on-union.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-116969461944045871Wed, 24 Jan 2007 05:09:00 +00002007-01-24T19:10:19.443-08:00State of DisunionI was listening to the radio today and they highlighted <a href="http://pajamasmedia.com/2007/01/the_state_of_the_union_is_a_di.php">this column from Boston Herald Editor Jules Crittenden</a>. An excerpt of his proposed State of the Union:<br /><br />So what is the best thing I can do tonight? I can tell you the truth. What none of you want to hear. What you’ve been stopping your ears to. The ugly truth. The State of the Union is a disaster. I did my best, but I made mistakes, and my best wasn’t good enough.<br />We went to war without building up our army, and now, I am trying to make up for that.<br />But that is not the disaster. The disaster is that you, Congress and the American people, do not care to fight.<br /><br />Too bad that no one will ever say that. I find all the politeness and ceremony associated with the State of the Union to be tiresome. I think the event is an important one, and the President deserves a forum with as broad an audience as this provides, but it rankles me to know that he will give this speech and many of those who smiled and clapped and shook his hand will look for the fastest way to stab him in the back.<br /><br />The President is not perfect. He has made some significant mistakes. But he has also been hamstrung by a gutless Congress and an ideological media. The war he is fighting here at home is almost as hard as the one in Iraq.<br /><br />I may write more on the speech tomorrow. <a href="http://www.instapundit.com/">Instapundit</a> would be a great place to find speech reaction and commentaty.http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/01/state-of-disunion_116969461944045871.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8278759.post-116880534410282808Sun, 14 Jan 2007 18:48:00 +00002007-01-14T12:09:04.156-08:00Debating the SurgeI haven't written much lately about politics, and I think it's because the scene is a pretty depressing one:<br /><ul><li>Republicans failed to rally support for key initiatives proposed by the President, such as Estate Tax Reform and Social Security Private Accounts. This left Republicans with Medicare Part D, a massive entitlement that conservatives are uncomfortable with. Now that the Republicans are out of power those plans are as good as dead.</li><li>Republicans have not shown that they've learned any lessons from their losses in the 2006 mid-terms. I got a fundraising plea from the GOP and I threw it away, not on a money issue but a principle one. I don't want to give money to a party that tried to re-elect faux Republican Lincoln Chafee but that won't get unified on budget reform.</li><li>Republicans are jumping like rats from the Iraq War, at a time when solutions are needed and grandstanding is most detrimental.</li></ul><p>It all is crystalized by the President's speech on Wednesday night and the subsequent uproar. Michael Barone has two excellent posts, and if you didn't hear the speech this one will give you <a href="http://www.usnews.com/usnews/opinion/baroneblog/archives/070111/thoughts_on_the_2.htm">an idea of some of the President's main points</a>.</p><p>His second post goes into greater depth on <a href="http://www.usnews.com/usnews/opinion/baroneblog/archives/070112/surge_ignites_p.htm">the partisan response to the speech</a> and the president's plan to bolster security with a "troop surge." The Republicans that are now striking at the President on the war are being irresponsible and are in dereliction of their duty to the nation. The Democrats that are doing so are less irksome because they aren't doing anything I wouldn't expect them to.</p><p>It's a sorry situation, and there's more to say but I don't feel like saying it right now.</p>http://rightwingpundit.blogspot.com/2007/01/debating-surge.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Joe Lowry Jr)0